Flexible belt and method of making it



Dc. 4, 1 934. l D. HEYER 1,932,869

FLEXIBLE BELT AND METHOD OF MAKING IT Filed April 15, 1931 Don Heyer IAffpf /iey invention; but it Patented Dec. 4, 1934 Don Beyer, Los Anselpu -0 I California es United States Electrical Angeles, Calif., acorporation we 00 Manufacturing 0on5 Application April 15, 1931, SerialNo. 580,389

10 Claims. (01. 154-4) My invention'relates to improvements in flexible,laminated, endless belts and more especia to belts of the so-caliedV-type as used in variable speed transmission devices and powertransmission mechanisms. Previously 'known belts of trapezoidalcross-section have caused -considerable trouble from squashing' orexcessive wedglngaction in the pulley groove due to rigidity. The resultis generation and loss ofdistortion of the belt. This excessive heatalso quickly destroys the belt, and its life is greatly shortened. Anobject of my improved belt construction is to overcome excessive wedgingin the pulley; grooveby inserting non-resilient members horizontally inthe belt section. These inserts not only avoid squashing of the belt,but also tend to dissipate the heat generated by flexing of the beltover the pulleys. run at higher speeds with less heating and asw sureslonger life.-

'Another object of my improved belt construction is to provide a beltthat-will have greater frictional torque and prevent slippage, by thehorizontally spaced inserts coming in contact with the slots in thepulley members.

A further object of my improved belt construc- .tion, is toprovide amethod of building up the laminations'in a suitable mold and vulcanizingto the'desired form. I f

My invention possesses other improvements and advantages over thepresent jects which maybe made more easily apparent excessive internalheat from a consideration of one form of my invention. For this purposeI have shown one construction in the drawing which accompanies and formsa part of the present specification. I shall now proceed to describethis construction in detail which illustrates the general principles ofmy isto be understood that this description is not to be taken in alimiting sense, since the scope .of my invention is best defined by theappended claims.

In the drawing:

dicated by line -1--1 in Figure 4.

cated by line 2--2 in Figure 4.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the horizontal insert.

. Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the e belt.

lly longitudinally inadequate cross-sectional frictional torque due toThis allows the belt'to be filling art and has ob-,

'20 and 210! a variable Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view taken as in-Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view takenas indi- Figure 5 is afragmentary sectional view taken through the center of the belt.

side elevation showing members with the Figure 6 is a of a variablespeed transmission device belt positioned on said members. i I

Figure '1 isa plan view showing the relative po'-' sition of the belt tomembers of a variable speed transmission device. a

Referring more in ing drawing, reference character '10 indicates 'thehorizontal insert. preferably of amen-resilient; fibrous material. Iplace a number of these' inserts equally spaced in a split; circularmold" which forms a certain V angle. The mold is split to remove thefinished belt and has equally spaced slots in the bottom of the v tohold the inserts the process. I the mold should be the, same as thedesired outside length of the belt. Next, suitable cord material 11 istightly wound around the inserts in the space between the inserts andthe side of the V form as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Rubber or rubbercomposition 12 is molded in the V form up to a certain distance; bindingthe inserts and cord material together. Suitable hole 13 and depressions14 in the inserts tend to secure same in place. Suitably preparedmaterial, preferably bias-cut fabric 15 is wound on the rubber or rubbercomposition 12. This fabric is preferably of the'width of the-form atthis point. Each succeeding layer is alternated from side to side of theform overlapping the edge of the preceding layer. In this manner thematerial is wound to finished form and does not require cutting andresultant waste. A cover of rubber 1B is placed over the fabric 15 and acompress ing member of the mold is applied to firmly press thelaminations together and vulcanizing them in place. This gives the belta smooth, finished surface having the desired included angle.

The belt is removed from the mold at the proper time and a protectivefabric cover 1'? is applied to the inner circumference.

In Figures 8 and 'l. the finished belt is shown by c 19 in relativeposition on members speed transmission deofthisnature aresoar ranged asto increase the-en'ective diameter of one pair of pulley members'whilethe eflective diameter of the other pair of pulley members device.

lil Jll.

when shifted from one when the belt is runnins on the minimum diameterofeither pair of puller th frictional surface is decreased and detail tothe accompany The periphery of crease. Considerable wear is caused onthe belt 1 due to the wedgins action extreme to the other.

v vantage of the unique features of my belt.

I have also found, by experimentation with so-called V-belt drives beltsrunning in V-grooves,

"squash in the pulley grooves and lose their true angle. This isespecially true in multiple drives.

where I have found that several of the belts pull the entire load whilethe others run idle. With my improved belt, pulley contact is the samefor all belts, regardless of number, when made by I my method, theinserts maintaining the proper cross-sectional rigidity withoutdistortion.

I claim:- 1. A flexible endless V belt, formed of horipressed andvulcanized to form.

2. A flexible endless V belt ber section having a protective fabriccover on material, and successive circumferential plies of bias-cutfabric covered with a layer of rubber and vulcanized to form.

3. A method of making flexible endless V belts which comprises forming amolded rubber section canizing the unit to form.

4. A flexible endless V-belt, comprising a series of spaced rigidelements, having a configuration corresponding to the active beltsurface, each of said elements having one or more cavities, and

yielding material extending between and above the elements and keyedinto said cavities.

5. A flexible endless V-belt, comprising a series rigid elements, havinga configuration corresponding to the active belt surface, each of saidelements having a projecusing one or more 31- that the belts soonv i goccupied by the said layers. tire efiective surface, if necessary, totake 6, A flexible endless V-belt, comprising a series of longitudinallyspaced rigid conforming with the active belt surfaces, winding cordmaterial under tension over said spaced eleelements, having aconfiguration ments, filling the void between the elements andthe cordmaterial with a moldable yielding rubber composition, covering the cordmaterial with layers of fabric, and vulcanizing the unit to the desiredform. v

v 10. A fiexibleendless v-belt, comprising a series of longitudinallyspaced rigid elements, having a configuration conforming with the activebelt surfaces, a series of layers of fibrous material over the elements,and yielding material extending into the spaces between the elements andthe fabric, and forming cavities between the lower edges of the elementsto provide a toothlike configuration-at the inner side of the belt.

, DON HEYER,

